Photo Credit: Katie Karalis

There was a whole lot of dancing going on at Bowery Ballroom on Wednesday night, and while the moves happening onstage weren’t necessarily skillful, they were uninhibited, inspired and infectious.

The dancing began in the second set when Barbara Gruska, the sprightly, smiling lead singer of brother/sister band The Belle Brigade (@thebellebrigade), relinquished her guitar and moved to the drums. She promised some serious dancing from the now misplaced drummer, who, tambourine in hand, did not disappoint. These three guys and a gal play music with irresistible, honky-tonk bass lines, rock and roll guitar, crooning harmonies and astute lyrics. Plunging into “Where Not To Look For Freedom”, the drummer’s erratic dance moves almost outshone the song’s rollicking rhythms and fiery melody. Fueled by fervent cheers from the audience, drummer Tim Arnold from the headlining band Good Old War (@goodoldwar) soon joined in the revelry.

The eccentric dancing continued throughout Good Old War’s set. Lead singer and keyboardist Keith Goodwin’s restless energy slipped almost subconsciously into his version of a funky chicken dance at every opportunity, while across the stage, Dan Schwartz bounced around wildly, his body unable to resist the grooving melodies his guitar was laying down. Even Arnold, inherently more stationary, stood up from his drumset to sing on three songs. In the closing song “Loud Love”, on which all three sang a solo verse, he crossed the stage to rest his head playfully on Goodwin’s shoulder.

Schwartz’s stillness came only when he played the electric guitar suspended in front of his microphone stand. This required reaching around one of the three rotating acoustic guitars strapped over his chest, one of which was a twelve-string that added the richness of a banjo or mandolin to the country-tinged songs. The conceit, though practical, looked amusing — like a person wearing two sets of eyeglasses.

The set showcased the Philadelphia band’s body of work, spanning three albums. Their songs follow a classic structure with spirited pop rock tempos, catchy melodies and sweet vocal harmonies. Their lyrics are straightforward enough to be picked up and remembered effortlessly, and this audience was singing along from the very first word. “You guys sound good,” Goodwin remarked to the adoring crowd.

New songs like “Calling Me Names” and “Amazing Eyes” were as relished as the older “That’s What’s Wrong” and “We’ve Come A Long Way”, but the audience was bound and determined to hear “Coney Island” off the band’s first album (“What you think this is, request hour?” Schwartz called back at one point). The crowd’s request came as the final song of the encore, the best apparently saved for last.

These three guys are genuine and endearing, as are the folks in The Belle Brigade and Family of the Year (@familyoftheyear) who played before them, and seem at home in their own skin as well as together onstage. They aren’t putting on any airs; what you see is what you get, and what you get will win you over in no time.

Photo credit: Alex Munro

As a performer, Alex Winston (@iamalexwinston) has a very difficult time staying away from the audience. She started her set at The Knitting Factory on Tuesday night in the crowd, opening with the mysterious, gypsy-tinged “Fire Ant” off her debut full-length King Con. When she finally made her way to the stage, she didn’t take her place in the center of her band, but instead opted to remain right at the lip of the stage, practically on top of the front row. She seems Continue Reading

Photo credit: Luis Ruiz

As heavy rain pelted pedestrians on the streets of Manhattan Sunday night, there was a sense of irony upon entering Highline Ballroom to see Washed Out (@ernestgreene). The vibe inside, though, was much warmer, as the densely-packed crowd Continue Reading

Ironically, it took moving halfway across the country, from New York to Colorado, for Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites to draw a crowd in Brooklyn — well, that and some irresistible blues rock songs. But draw a crowd they did, as their band, The Lumineers (@thelumineers), sold out the Music Hall Continue Reading

“I think it’s okay to take it with beer… I don’t really remember,” Brenda Malvini remarked as she popped one of her birth control pills on stage at Highline Ballroom. Yes, this may seem like a strange thing for the lead singer of Brooklyn band North Highlands to do in the middle of a set, but this set was part of the 5th Annual Roe on the Rocks Benefit Continue Reading

Photo credit: Karp

The number of amazing shows in NYC last week was daunting. I doubt you were able to see every performance you wanted to, even if you’re the lucky owner of a Delorean, TARDIS or whatever they call that phone booth from Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure. I nearly wore myself out.

Amidst the madness, I managed to catch super fun Minneapolis band Howler (@howler_band) at Mercury Lounge on Wednesday night. Their debut album, America Give Up, released on Rough Trade in January, has been occupying some serious time on my Spotify during stressful work hours. I simply fell in love with the band’s ability to create enjoyable, rhythmic songs that play well in the background. I knew, though, that seeing the band in a live setting would force me to pay a bit more attention to the nuances and subtleties in their music, rather than taking a passive listening role. In the end, I was surprised at how well the boys were able to translate their unique sound aesthetic directly to the stage.

Rather than creating distinct instrumental lines, Howler permeates the room with an energetic wall of sound through which you can occasionally glimpse influences of 1960s surf rock, 1980s punk vocal abandon, and 1990s alternative snark. I recall brief lightbulb moments I experienced during the night: “Does this sound like Smashing Pumpkins or am I crazy?” or “Jordan Gatesmith sounds a little like Billy Idol right now.” For the most part, though, I was just swept away and in tune with the pillowy wash of Howler‘s songs. They need a bigger show, and they’ll get one soon if they continue to deliver on the promise that America Give Up proposes. Gatesmith made a comment in the middle of Howler‘s set about how he wished that all of us were at either Kraftwerk or Pulp that night. At that point, however, I really didn’t mind missing either.

1,2,3 (@123theband) aren’t flashy on stage. It’s comforting to walk into a room and have the band make you feel as though you’re just happening upon a rehearsal session. That’s not to say that 1,2,3 aren’t polished. On the contrary. Their songs are confident with clear hooks and riffs, and the band plays them sharply. I simply mean that they’re approachable in a way that spreads elation throughout the crowd — the perfect lubrication for a night well spent. The set was percussive and relied mainly on guitar lines, but the highlight was Nic Snyder’s chameleon vocals. Starting off in a yodel, he switched to an intentionally forced strain, then transitioned into a low-voiced character with cutesy, sliding diphthongs. Eventually he even used them all in the same song. 1,2,3 are pretty easy to catch; I’ve seen them several times as openers, and I always make it a point to show up early those nights.

Photo credit: Alex Munro

Let me tell you why Alabama Shakes rocks.  It’s their conviction; the abandon with which Brittany Howard sings; the heart and soul they put into every guitar lick, drum beat and chord ringing out from the keyboard.  It’s the Continue Reading

Photo credit: Eric Weiner

Going to shows blind can either be a great idea or a terrible idea. For every amazing band there are 5 that are just ok, or “had a bad night” that you’ll never remember. I’m pretty sure that after my night with Fenster, I have Continue Reading

It was a good night for synth at Cameo Gallery on Saturday. Portland-based Lost Lander, Matt Sheehy’s follow-up project to the acclaimed underground duo Gravity and Henry, continued his trend of hard Continue Reading

Photo credit: Lexi Namer

Odd though it may seem, there is something that evokes horse racing in the music of Icelandic band Of Monsters and Men. It might be the steadily building momentum in the songs; the unpredictable breaks in the rhythm or the tight reins they hold around the explosive instrumentation.

There were seven musicians (one more than usual) on the stage for the thriving band’s sold out show at Webster Hall last Friday night. Though Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir and Ragnar þórhallsson, who laid Continue Reading